


The Zoo

by fxtz_sxmmons



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Babygirl Fitzsimmons, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Reunions, Gen, Light Angst, domestic fitzsimmons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25306942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fxtz_sxmmons/pseuds/fxtz_sxmmons
Summary: Rose loved the zoo. She had so many good memories attached to the zoo.Rose loved the zoo, but everything just felt a little bit different without her mum there.Fitzsimmons at the zoo!! Basically
Relationships: Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons & Original Character(s), Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	The Zoo

Rose loved the zoo. She had so many good memories attached to the zoo. She loved the animals, she loved stopping to have a picnic during the day, she loved getting ice cream, she loved being swung by her parents as they walked and she loved to hear facts her father had memorised about monkeys, beginning to recite them back to him now. The Fitzsimmons’ didn’t go to the zoo a lot, usually only on Rose’s birthday, but when they did, Rose knew it was going to be a great day.

They didn't really have a lot of opportunities for day trips. He parent’s work meant that a lot of the time they were confined to their small lab which was too dangerous for Rose to enter. They still did stuff as a family; they still ate together, watched Disney films together, cuddled together, read stories together. They just struggled to find time to actually leave the SHIELD base. That was why the zoo was so special to Rose. It was just them out together. They didn’t work, uncle Enoch wasn’t there. It was just them with the zoo animals as the only distraction.

Her parents were planners; meaning every trip to the zoo was planned to the second, ensuring that they didn't miss anything and that they got to see everything offered. Every year the trip was practically the same, and every year the trip was absolutely perfect.

They would start by flying to Perthshire the night before and stay overnight in a nearby hotel. Even though the family are currently based in America, they thought they may as well take the weekend and fly to where Fitz and Rose (and Jemma when she is able to join them) would be living, so that Rose could become accustomed to the different surroundings. But more-so the rain. They would then wake early the next morning and get ready to go to the zoo, before travelling there. When they arrived, they would grab a drink at the cafe; a tea for Jemma, a coffee for Fitz and an orange juice for Rose and they would map out where they would go and what animals to see. Monkeys, cats and giraffes were always a must; they were everyone’s favourite so it was vital they were visited. The family would spend hours at the zoo, they felt it was important to make a whole day of it as they couldn’t treat their daughter as much as they’d like to. That would change though. Once Fitzsimmons had saved the world one last time they would treat their daughter every day until they ran out of treats to offer her.

Rose was always tired by the end of the trip. The excitement of being there and watching the animals had burned up her energy relatively quickly. Rose loved the zoo but she loved finishing her trip just as much. Rose always ended up in her father’s arms by the end of the day, after stroking all the farm animals. Her arms were loose around his neck, his arms tight around her as if he was to never let her go as her eyes fought a battle to stay open, never wanting this day to end. At the very end of the trip, Rose and her mum were left outside on a bench; Jemma would drink yet another tea and while curled up at her mother’s side, Rose would messily eat an ice lolly (because Jemma was buying and lollies were usually healthier than ice cream). They sat there for usually about 15 minutes before her father would return with a toy monkey, a different type every year for her to add to her growing collection of cuddly monkey toys. Every year Jemma would grin at the sight, seeing how happy a simple toy monkey made her daughter. Fitz once again picked up Rose, as they walked to the car. Jemma slipped her hand into the hand that wasn’t carrying Rose, before tenderly kissing his cheek.  
“You’re the best father in the world.” She would whisper into her husband's ear, looking at Rose who peacefully began to sleep in her father’s arms.

Rose loved the zoo, but everything just felt a little bit different without her mum there. Fitz tried his best to make everything normal, even though nothing was normal, and it would be a while until her mum came back. Fitz decided to take her to the zoo, something they hadn’t done since Jemma had to leave them. She got dressed in the clothes laid out for her the night before by her father; dungarees with embroidered bananas over the top of a white t-shirt. She was greeted by her father after bum-sliding down the stairs and he took her in his arms, lifting her up.  
“Good morning, little monkey.” He said, spinning her round in his arms, placing a kiss on her cheek, causing Rose to giggle a little. “Are you excited for the zoo?” He asked. The young girls just nodded as her father put her down. She was usually a lot more excited to go to the zoo, but it didn’t feel right going without her mum. Nothing really felt right without her mum.

Fitz helped Rose out of her car seat and took her hand before walking them towards the entrance of the zoo, paying their entry fee. Rose smiled, hopping ahead slightly, keeping a hold of his hand. The two of them sat down first before seeing any of the animals, ready to plan what animals they would go to see. Fitz passed Rose an ice cream, causing her to grin widely. If she was to look at the positives of her mother being away at work was the increase of ice cream she was allowed to eat. It was safe to say that her mum was big on health which meant ice cream was a treat she would be allowed maybe once a month, her dad, however, let her eat ice cream maybe once a week; perhaps a way to help her cope with the fact her mum wasn’t there.  
“Where do you want to go first?” Fitz asked his daughter, sipping his coffee. Rose smiled as she took a spoonful of her ice cream, getting it around the corner of the mouth.  
“The Giraffes.” She said without hesitation.

Giraffes were her mother's favourite animal when they went to the zoo. The scientist in Jemma was interested in the anatomy of giraffes and how they adapted to survive. The mother in Jemma was interested in how giraffes look after their young so that they survived in the wild. Rose could sit watching the giraffes with her mother for hours and hours, listening to random facts about the giraffe’s anatomy. It wasn’t the same today, the giraffes weren’t as fun today. Rose stayed silent just staring at the giraffes, the face showing no emotion. Fitz noticed that she wasn’t enjoying the giraffes as much as she usually did and he smiled weakly and crouched down in front of her, placing the palms of his hands on her cheeks. “Come on.” He said softly, “Let’s go somewhere else.”

The next place they visited was the cats. Rose loved all the big cats in the zoo, but her heart wasn’t in it today. No matter how many times she ran the cheetah track, to see if she was as fast as the mammal, or when the lions put their paws to the glass when they slept, prompting Rose to copy them, the young girls just couldn’t seem to find the enjoyment that the animals usually brought her. Rose and her father walked around the zoo, in pretty much silence. Rose was very good at suppressing her emotions, even at her young age of five years old, something that Fitz and Simmons continuously worried about; especially after their experience in the mind prison. Fitz took his daughter’s hand before sitting down on the floor near the zebra enclosure, inviting Rose to sit down opposite her, which she did. 

“You know it’s okay to be sad.” Fitz told her, taking her hand in his, squeezing softly. Rose just shrugged, looking down, refusing to meet her father’s eye line. “Everything is different now, Rosie. Your mummy’s gone, but she’ll be back soon, but in the meantime it’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to cry.” He whispered, smiling weekly. It didn’t take long for Rose’s eyes to become watery with tears.  
“I miss her daddy.” Rose blubbered, the tears beginning to fall. “I miss her hugs and her voice.” With every word, her voice cracked, causing Fitz to bring Rose closer to him. He nodded and pressed a small kiss into Rose’s brown hair. Her hair looked exactly like Jemma’s hair, only Fitz’s colour. A lot of her features that looked like Jemma more than Fitz; her eyes, her nose, her mouth.  
“I know you do.” He mumbled. “I know you do monkey, but she’ll be back soon.” His voice was soft, as his lips still pressed to his daughter’s hair, inhaling the smells of the faint strawberry shampoo. “She’ll be back soon.” Fitz repeated, unsure whether he was repeating it for the sake of Rose or himself.

It was another 2 months, 2 long, emotional and tiring months, until Jemma returned to the rest of her family; and the day she did was one of the best days Rose had ever had. Rose saw her from the distance and she wiggled her hand free from her father’s hand, before sprinting into her mother’s arms, tears streaming down both of their faces. Jemma’s kisses were soft, wet with tears.

The young girl begged her parents to take her to the zoo the day after she got back and it didn't take much persuading for them to say yes. Rose was excited. Her parents were finally free from SHIELD and she could finally have a normal life with her parents; a life that wasn’t going to be interrupted by her parent’s secret lives. The most normality in Rose’s life while her parents worked for SHIELD was the zoo, so it only made sense that that was the first they visited now the family was back together again.

Their zoo routine was the same as always, although instead of waking up in a hotel room, Rose was woken in her own bed in the house that she lived in with just her parents. There were no tactical teams, no hoards of scientists; just her and her parents. Rose would dress herself into the clothes laid out for her by her mother; a mustard coloured play-suit with small zebras on it, before walking downstairs to eat breakfast with her parents; which were pancakes. Pancakes were rare with Jemma as her mother but today was a special occasion which meant special (unhealthy) food. 

On arrival, Rose held onto her mother’s hand tightly, never wanting to let her go again, as they made their way to see the Giraffes. Rose wanted to go there first, as they were her mother’s favourite and Rose liked it when her mum was happy, although, it didn't matter where they were; as long as Jemma was with her daughter and her husband, Jemma would always be happy. The family sat down at the enclosure, before Rose climbed into her mother’s lap, leaning back into her embrace, a content smile tugging at her lips as she began to listen to her mother talk about the mammal in front of them.  
“When a giraffe is born, their mother will bump their heads together which is what kick-starts their internal systems.” Jemma said, her voice soft as she pressed her forehead to her daughters head, kissing her softly, causing Rose to grin, as her small arms wrapped around her mother to feel closer to her. It was about an hour until they eventually left the giraffes, but Rose would’ve stayed there all day listening to her mother if she could have.

The day was the best day Rose had possibly ever had and she was exhausted by the end of it; once again falling asleep in her father’s arms as they walked towards the exit of the zoo. Rose bagan to stir slightly as Fitz sat down on the bench, this time Jemma buying her a toy. She appeared after a few minutes holding a cuddly toy of a mother and a baby giraffe. Jemma bent down, squeezing her daughters knee softly, causing Rose to wake with a small yawn. 

The child saw the toy in front of her and smiled widely, taking the smaller giraffe that her mother offered her, pressing it to her cheek.  
“See, now we both have giraffes.” Jemma said, taking her daughter's hand. “And if I ever have to go away again, or if you ever get sad, or scared, you hold on tight to this and I’ll be with you, and I’ll do the same, okay?” Jemma told her daughter, her voice soft, tears brimming at her eyes. Rose nodded before hugging her mum tightly, kissing her ear lobe softly. Rose nodded, pulling away from her hug, noticing the tears in her mother’s eyes. Rose reached up and used her thumbs to wipe them away, before pressing a tiny kiss to Jemma’s lips.  
“Okay.” Rose promised her, smiling softly, stretching her arm to tuck some of her mother’s hair behind her ear, causing Jemma to let out a small chuckle, “But don’t go away again please mummy.”

**Author's Note:**

> beta'd by @/hiddendlongings !!
> 
> just a quick one!! (because she didn't know)  
> ice lolly = ice pop  
> dungarees = overalls  
> play suit = romper
> 
> I hope you enjoy my fic!! Please leave comments, they're all appreciated!!


End file.
